Healthcare workers are under “unrelenting strain” due to patients presenting with Covid19, according to the HSE CEO.

Paul Reid advised people not to take heed of anyone who dismisses the virus, and said it is insulting to patients and frontline staff.

93 additional deaths linked with the disease were announced last night – the highest daily number since the pandemic began, while a further 2,001 cases were detected.

Of these 25 are in Carlow with 20 in Kilkenny.

Last night, there were 1,897 patients receiving treatment in public hospitals, while nationally 209 people with the virus were in intensive care. Four of these people are in the local ICU at St Luke’s Hospital, among thirty people being treated for the virus there after two new admissions, while there are two further suspected cases.

Dr Jack Lambert, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Mater Hospital, says not enough people are taking the lockdown seriously.

While a GP believes Ireland is still “on the crest” of the third wave of Covid-19.

Illona Duffy says even more people will need treatment in hospital over the weeks ahead.

14-day Incidence Rate

The national 14-day incidence rate now stands at 1,334.6 per 100,000 people.

Carlow remains in the top ten counties with the highest rate, currently standing at 1,630 having had 928 positive tests in the past fortnight.

Kilkenny’s is lower at 1,039 after 1,031 new cases in the time timeframe.

Study

A study on Covid19 transmission suggests keeping a two-metre distance indoors without a mask is not enough to prevent it from spreading.

Experts at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London found it’s more likely to be caught inside by two people talking, rather than someone coughing.

Their study says it’s because water droplets released when people speak are so small they linger in the air.

Vaccines

The Health Minister is being urged to call on voluntary groups to help in the vaccine rollout.

Yesterday the government gave the go-ahead for a €91 million deal for GPs and Pharmacists to administer doses.

Fianna Fail Councillor, Michael Sheehan, says groups like the Civil Defence and the Order of Malta should also be used.

It’s as the arrival date of the Astrazeneca vaccine to Ireland has not been finalised.

The Irish Examiner reports a memo was brought before Cabinet yesterday showing there was no idea on when it would be in the country.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said over the weekend that he has requested the vaccine to be in Ireland ahead of its expected approval by the EMA later this month, to help speed-up its roll-out.

The plan for doctors and pharmacists to help innoculate people, which was signed off on yesterday, would largely include the Astrazeneca vaccine as it doesn’t need to be stored at low temperatures.

Meanwhile, early data from Israel is suggesting a delay to the second dose of the Pfizer Covid19 vaccine could make it less effective.

The country is leading the world in the rollout of vaccinations and analysts there say they think waiting for the second jab could reduce its efficacy to just 33%.

It was announced last week the second dose in Ireland would be given out between 21 and 28 days, which follows guidance from the WHO.

Professor Lawrence Young is a virologist at Warwick Medical School in the UK and says there’s still a lot to learn.

In the UK

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly planning to ease lockdown restrictions there by Easter, as long as Covid19 cases in hospital fall.

The Sun claims he has told civil servants to draft a plan that will be on an area-by-area basis.

The toughest rules in Scotland have been extended until at least the middle of February – including school closures.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the situation there is precarious.

In Germany

Germany’s introduced a new rule that will ban people from using makeshift face coverings such as hand made cloth masks or scarves.

Instead the public there will have to use to use full protective filter masks in shops and on public transport.

It comes as the national lockdown there was extended until February 14th.